Twin City church of Christ Blog
“Aug 2, 2024 - Under New Management”
Categories: 2024 Reading DevotionalsUnder New Management
Reading: Romans 6:12-19
Since we have died to sin through Jesus’ sacrifice, we guard against lapsing into our old slavery to sin. “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions…For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace”(Rom 6:12, 14). Jesus has broken the hold sin had over us (Rom 6:18), but we can allow sin to take over and dominate us once more. We have experienced that slavery and the despair it produces; Paul wants us not to go back to slavery. You are under new management; now live like it!
Especially does Paul warn that sin is not something we dip our toes in without consequence. Sin enslaves. “Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?”(Rom 6:16). Whatever we may say, we become slaves of the one we actually obey. Our lives speak louder than our words. So even though we call ourselves Christians, if we return to our lives of sin, we become slaves again. “For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification”(Rom 6:19). Jesus has set you free; now live like it!
Christians must think of ourselves as under new management. Jesus is in charge of my life now. If I return to that life of sin—if I let sin reign again—if I use my body to obey sin—then I will be enslaved again. All the progress Jesus has made for me will be brought to nothing. Paul is arguing that we do not need the Law of Moses to ensure we live righteously (Rom 6:15); we simply need to remember our slavery, what it cost to free us, and whom we now serve. You belong to Jesus; now live like it!
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One Thing to Think About: How might I “let sin reign in my mortal body”?
One Thing to Pray For: Praise to God for setting me free from my sins and their consequences
